Well – it’s nearly the last day of the holiday season, so I better post those holiday images I’ve been meaning to post! Today is New Year’s Eve – and I can honestly say that this is probably one of my least-enjoyed holiday seasons in a long time, if not ever. Except for one week in early December that I spent with my mom (and that was awesome), I’ve done nothing but work. I got a temporary Christmas job in retail in late November, and well, I’m sure I don’t need to tell you what it’s like to work in retail in the holiday season. Ugh. Between Boxing Day Sales, late evenings, and open every Sunday in December, today and tomorrow are the first two-days-in-a-row I’ve had off since early December, when my mom was visiting.
Although 2009 had some bright spots (Finland with my mom, visiting Holland in April/May, my amazing friends and family), overall it’s a year I cannot wait to put behind me. For 2010, the future seems unsure – I have no new job lined up yet for when this one ends in late January, and I honestly don’t know what I’m gonna do – with work, with everything, my life. It looks like things might have to take a new direction, since it’s so hard to find a job in the areas I consider myself skilled at, sigh. I don’t imagine 2010 will be a lot easier than 2009 was, but hey, gotta stay positive, right? The future fills me with anxiety instead of the joy it seems to fill most others with (I hate uncertainty, in ANY situation), but then again, I always get very emotional on New Year’s Eve, so perhaps today isn’t the right day for me to be reminiscing.
Instead I shall leave you with some of the photos I took of holiday lights at Victoria Square in Belfast, taken while my mom was visiting in early December. The happy and pretty colors are just what I needed. :)
I wish you happy holidays and all the best for 2010! :)
One thing I love about living abroad: I get to celebrate Halloween!! Back home in Holland, they don’t really celebrate Halloween, it’s considered an American thing. But, Halloween is originally an Irish holiday, and it is celebrated in style here. This year, I visited the Pumpkin Fest in Castle Ward, near Strangford, and in spite of the rain, it was fun!!
I brought home a huge, heavy, organically grown pumpkin for myself, which will be carved a few days before Halloween. Yay!
This last one is my pumpkin. :D
Coco is now about 4 months old. She’s doing great, growing like crazy and getting along with Misty and Peaches really well. She’s very affectionate, loves cuddling, and very energetic too – hopping around the garden chasing flies is one of her favorite pastimes!
We had a scare with her eye last month. While playing with one of the other cats, somehow they managed to accidentally rip the inner eyelid of one of Coco’s eyes. If you’ve ever spent any time with cats, you’ll have noticed they have two eyelids, one normal one like ours that goes up and down, and a second thinner one, that moves from the inside of their eye to the outside corner, covering it like a little membrame. Well, Coco’s got ripped, and it was bleeding and everything. Of course, this happened while I was in Helsinki, so Alison had to deal with the vet etc on her own! After giving Coco eyedrops against infection for a good couple of weeks, we’re now pretty sure the wound has healed and her eye will be okay. Phew!
Here’s some more photos from the recent weeks – Coco is growing so fast, she’s nearly the same height and length as Peaches now!
Arrived back home in Belfast last night! The flight on Saturday from Helsinki to Amsterdam was fine and non-eventful, and same goes for the flight from Amsterdam to Belfast on Sunday. I spent one night at my mom’s house, spent some time with my brother and finally got to meet his girlfriend, so it was time well-spent! ;)
I’m still working through more photos, but I finished uploading the best ones I took in Tallinn, Estonia. Such a beautiful city! Now I only have Friday and Saturday left to do!
More on Flickr!
